Awake
by Max In Training
Summary: Demons, Mystery, Action and Porcupines, all in one place!Torak and Renn discover a Mysterious girl, but is she a demon? Or is she the key to saving the forest? I actually know where this story is going, for once, and it's pretty good so far!Go on, try it!
1. prologue

**Hello all! This is my first Chronicles Of Ancient Darkness fan fic, so keep that in mind when you're reviewing, and if its really bad try to break it too me gently =0 there are going to be short chapters, by the way. Also, this first chapter is just to set up the story.**

**This is the story-break thingamajig, so you don't get confused:**

**…****oO0Oo…**

**((Pretty, huh? Made it myself!))**

**Ok, i'm going to do ONE disclaimer, and it will have to do you for the whole story. I mean, what am I going to do, suddenly steal it halfway through? Here it is:**

**I DON'T OWN THE CHRONICLES OF ANCIENT DARKNESS, THE CHARECTERS, OR ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE SERIES. I ONLY OWN THE PLOT, AND THE CHARECTERS THAT I, MYSELF CAME UP WITH. OH, YEAH, AND THE STORY-BREAK THINGAMAJIGYY. **

**Now on with the story!**

**…****oO0Oo…**

_Italics=_ thoughts

**…****oO0Oo…**

"The journey ahead of you will be hard, girl."

"I know, master"

"No, girl. You must not call me master anymore. You are you're own master now. Remember that, if you remember nothing else. You belong to you, and you only. Let no-one rule you. They may get to know you, become your allies, or enemies, but they shall never control you. Do not let them"

"I will not. I promise you…what shall I call you?"

"You will not have need of a name for me."

"But how will I address you?"

"You will leave soon. You will not see me again, unless you fall into great peril"

"What? But I…I need you! There is so much you haven't taught me!"

"You will find new guides soon enough"

"But I- I…I'm scared. Why must I go?"

"Girl, everyone and everything on this earth has a purpose. I will not tell you yours, but it is very important. And you will soon begin your purpose. But for now, you must have a name"

"A name? What will it be?"

"No, girl, you will name yourself"

"Oh. But how"

"Think, and you will find it"

The girl closed her eyes and let her mind go blank. She did not know why she did this, but suddenly a name floated into her mind.

"_**Elysia**_" she whispered.

The girl's eyes snapped open.

**…****oO0Oo…**

**Renn's POV**

"Torak, we shouldn't go in there" I said anxiously. He turned to me.

"Renn. We are demon hunters, this is what we do. The mountain hare clan has been terrified to come here for 14 years"

"I know, but this feels…bad. Different and bad."

He frowned.

"How do you mean?"

I shook my head slowly.

"I don't know. It feels…it feels like there are spirits, but also like there is something…alive"

Torak turned to look in the cave. A year had passed since we had left the raven clan, to travel, and hunt demons. It was a dangerous task, but necessary, and very rewarding.

Torak took a deep breath.

"Renn, I'm going to go in. if you don't want to, that's fine. Just stay here with Rip and Rek and Ebony."

_Oh, not this again…_

I sighed. Torak always suggested that I might not want to come. He should know by now that we were a team, he saved me, and I saved him back. And Ebony - none of the female pups from Wolf and Darkfur's second litter that had taken a shine to us, and had a knack for demon hunting - Ebony had saved us both a couple of times.

"Torak, wether you like it or not, I'm coming. Now let's slay some demons"

He gave a wan smile, and began to creep into the cave. I gasped as I entered. It was very cold inside, and there was the sound of water far away. I shivered. It really was freezing.

We walked for a long time, through many caverns, twists and turns and through small tunnels. We walked so long I feared that we would get lost. Ebony rubbed against my leg, reassuring me. I felt slightly better, but it didn't last long.

_Ohhh…my head!_

The bad feeling was worsening.

Torak stopped.

"Be very quiet" he breathed, close to my ear. He pointed up ahead at the next twist in the tunnel. There was a faint blue glow spilling around the bend. I took another step and gagged. The sense of wrongness was suffocating. We stoped again at the corner. Torak peeked around then froze. Wordlessly, he stepped into the blue light. I followed cautiously. Then I, too froze.

_What the…?_

There was what looked like a white marble altar in the centre of the cavern. There were 4 torches, lit with blue fire flickering around the altar. At the back of the cavern, there was a river rushing by. But it was what was on the table that made me freeze.

There was an ethereal looking girl lying on the altar, no more than 14. She was bone thin, though it didn't look grotesque; it simply looked like she would be blown away by the wind. She was extremely pale, but it was not a natural paleness, it was the paleness that comes with not seeing the sun. She had long blond hair, almost white, fanned out around her head. Her pink rosebud lips stood out in startling contrast to the white of her skin. She was beautiful, and in a strange way reminded me of moonlight.

Torak walked forward as if in a trance.

"Torak!" I hissed "don't touch her! She might have a demon in her!"

He ignored me, stretching out his hand in front of him. When he reached the altar he dropped to his knees. I cried out and lurched forward, but stopped when I saw he wasn't hurt. He placed two fingers lightly on her neck. Checking for a pulse. I walked to stand beside him.

"Is she…is she alive?" I asked. Torak sighed and shook his head.

_Oh, that poor girl…_

"No. id say she-" suddenly he whipped his head around to stare at the girl again.

"What?" I demanded.

"Her pulse…it re-started" he yanked his had away and stood up.

Suddenly, a gust of freezing air swept the cavern. I yelled out and grabbed Torak's arm in an effort to stay standing.

A ghostly whisper filled the room; it was both in my head and out:

_****__**Elysia**_

The girl's eyes snapped open.

**…****oO0Oo…**

**Ooohhh spooky! I could tell you who she is…but that would be no fun! You'll have to read on to find out! Next chapter on the way, and ill try to make it longer for you!**

**R&R please!**

**XxXxX max in training**

**P.S. here is a list of names I was considering for Elysia. I wanted an ethereal, magical kind of name. Tell me what you think!**

**Willow**

**Harmony**

**Annika**

**Fawn**

**Kai**

**Liana**

**Taya**

**Zaria**

**Zora**

**Elysia**

**Sapphira**

**Laelia**

**Safiya**

**Rae**

**Lilian**


	2. Awake

**Hi all! I'm pretty sure that the prologue went well…I could be wrong though o_O**

**This chapter is dedicated to ****Rawr I'm A Toaster **** and ****ASongInMyHead **** for reviewing the first chapter! Thanks guys!**

**But any way, the disclaimer in the first chapter is gonna have to last you the whole story, because ill probably forget a few times, and be too lazy the rest of the times.**

**So, when we left off, the girl had just opened her eyes.**

_Italics=_thoughts

…**oO0Oo…**

**Torak's POV**

I back-pedalled quickly, dragging Renn with me. The girl on the altar blinked a few times and slowly sat up. She glanced around her in bewilderment.

"wh-where am I?" she whispered. Her eyes locked on our retreating forms. "Wait! Don't go! Don't leave me alone…" she dropped her head to her chest.

Renn stopped, pulling me to a halt.

"What are you doing?" I hissed.

"I-I just… I just have to-" she broke off and started towards the girl. I leaped forward and grabbed her shoulders.

"Renn" I said urgently "she was dead, and now she's alive. That's not natural. For all we know, she could be a demon!"

Renn shook her head.

"Torak, can you feel a demon here? Because I can't. This is just a girl, nothing more. And she is obviously sick. Just look at her!"

"Renn, look at her face" I said very slowly and deliberately. Renn did, and then gasped in horror.

"She has no clan tattoos!" she looked uncertain for a moment, then her expression changed to one of determination "but she's still just a girl that's fallen ill! We have to at least talk to her"

I said nothing, just stared at her. The girl gave a sniff and raised her head from her now tear-stained white gown.

"I don't know what a demon is, but it sounds bad. I'm not a demon" she faltered "at least I think I'm not a demon…no I'm not, I'm sure of it! I'm a girl! My name is- my name is Elysia!"

_Elysia! That's what the wind whispered a minute ago!_

Renn looked at me for a moment before going to the girl.

"What age are you?" Renn said gently to her "what clan do you belong to?"

The girl stared at her with her huge blue eyes.

"I'm thirteen or fourteen, I'm not sure exactly when my birthday is. What is a clan?"

I tore my gaze away angrily. She was obviously not normal. At best she could be a child who was once possessed by a demon, at worst she was still possessed, and just trying to trick us. Either way, we shouldn't be talking to her!

_I can't stay here!_

"Renn, I'm going" I growled.

"Torak, no!" she cried, her voice echoing along the tunnel that I had already sprinted halfway down.

_If she needs me, she'll find me._

I ran off in to the forest, pursued by Rip, Rek and Ebony.

**((Quick A/N: Rip and Rek stayed outside the cave to guard it))**

…**oO0Oo…**

**Renn's POV**

I hesitated for a moment, torn between going after Torak and helping the girl, Elysia.

_Torak can look after himself. This girl obviously needs help more._

"No" Elysia whispered to herself "no, no, no…my guides can't be leaving already…"

I looked at her sharply.

"Your guides? What do you mean?"

She shrank down.

"I-I only mean that…you might not…i-i- I'm sorry" she stuttered "its only, he said that I would meet my guides soon, and I so hoped that you would be them, because I don't know where I am, and I don't know where there are other people and I-oh I'm sorry" she said miserably. I blinked.

"Who told you that your guides were coming? Why do you even need guides? The only thing wrong with you is that you seem to be lost, and in need of a good meal. If you walk north-west of here you will get to the mountain hare clan's dwelling. It's only a daywalk away."

_And you don't have clan tattoos…_

There was a long pause, so long that I thought she wouldn't speak at all. And when she did speak, she spoke so quietly it was almost a whisper, and she kept her eyes lowered.

"I don't know why I need guides, only that it's very important. I don't know where north-west is, or what a clan is, or a mountain-hare. And I really, really have to find my guides, its very important. But I think that you're my guide. And all the other stuff will be ok too, because now you're here, you will help me" she looked up at me and her eyes were so innocent and full of trust that I had no choice but to say what I said.

"Don't worry, Elysia. My name is Renn. I'll help you to find your clan. You know, you must have got lost and hit your head, or something and lost your memory." I nodded, warming to the idea "yeah, that's probably it. It must have been before you got your tattoos. Although that would have been a long time ago…"

"Renn? Will you teach me all the things I don't know?"

"I could try I guess. What exactly do you know?"

"I know my name. I know I'm about thirteen, but I could be fourteen. I know how to talk, and walk, and eat and breathe, that kind of thing. Not much else"

I flinched.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why did I promise to take her to her clan? She doesn't even have tattoos! I can't look after her forever._

I sighed. I was going to need Torak's help with this.

"We're going to go and find Torak, the boy that was here earlier, ok?"

Elysia nodded.

"Ok Renn"

I looked at her. She was hardly a child anymore, and yet she acted like a much younger girl. However, there was the bright light of intelligence shining in her eyes. I stood up.

"Ok let's go. Stay close to me when we're in the forest, and don't touch anything."

"Ok. But what's a forest?"

I sighed.

…**oO0Oo…**

**Yay! Chapter two finished! Sorry it took so long, I was really busy! Anyhow, don't forget to R&R, because if you send a review RIGHT NOW, as in THIS VERY SECOND, I will give you a free imaginary time machine so you can go meet Torak and Renn for yourself! Let's face it; you can't get much better than that!**

**Kk, thanx for reading!**

**XxXx max in training**


	3. Decisions

**Hey all! I'm baaaaack! Did you miss me? This chapter is dedicated toooooo:**

**Rawr I'm A Toaster**

**For reviewing, and also for having an awesome name! ^_^ keep up the good work!**

**Ok, when we left off Renn had just promised to be Elysia's guide, and they were going to find Torak. **

**Enjoy!**

…**oO0Oo…**

_Italics=_thoughts

…**oO0Oo…**

**Renn's POV**

I spun around, frustrated.

"Please be quiet! You're making too much noise, Elysia!"

She blinked at me with her big, pale blue eyes.

"Sorry Renn. It's just, there are so many things here! It's beautiful!"

I smiled at her.

"Yes, it is. And you can look at it all you like. As soon as we find Torak."

I crouched back down and began examining the boot-print again. It was definitely Torak's.

I set off, with Elysia closely following me.

"Renn" she whispered "those birds keep following us!"

I glanced up and laughed.

"Its just Rip and Rek, they're ravens. They wont harm us" I showed her my clan creature skin. "See? I am raven clan, the ravens are my guardians"

We lapsed back into silence as I concentrated on tracking Torak.

After a while I thought I caught a glimpse of him through the trees. I crept a little closer, then froze. He knocked back an arrow. I pulled Elysia back.

"be very still and silent." I breathed "Torak is hunting"

Elysia frowned.

"Hunting? What-"

"Shhh! Quiet!"

We waited for another moment before I heard the dull thud of an arrow striking its target. I stood up slowly. I saw Torak bent over a roe-buck. He had finished hunting. I started towards him, Rip and Rek flying on ahead.

…**oO0Oo…**

**Torak's POV**

I straightened up after saying a prayer for the souls of the roe-buck I had felled. Rip and Rek alighted on a branch near by. I glanced up and saw a flash of Renn's hair through the trees coming towards me. I sighed. She would probably have that girl with her.

"Torak" Renn called "why did you run off like that?"

I looked at her. I couldn't see the girl anywhere.

"That girl was dead, Renn"

"But now she's living"

"But she was dead!"

"But she doesn't know anything about…well, anything!"

"But-"

"Let's not say 'but' again. Torak, listen to me! She Knows Nothing! At all! I had to show her what a forest was!"

I stopped.

_If she doesn't know what a forest is maybe she really does need help…_

"And she says she needs guides" Renn continued "I don't know what for, though"

I frowned.

"Renn, you can't be her guardian, if that's what you're thinking. Where is she anyway?"

"I'm here" said Elysia, stepping out from behind a tree "although I need guides, instead of guardians"

"Elysia!" exclaimed Renn "I thought you were beside me!"

"Why were you hiding?" I snapped, annoyed I hadn't known she was there.

She looked at me, straight in the eyes, although she had to tilt her head back.

"I was scared because you killed the…thing" she said truthfully, indicating the Roe-Buck "but then I got that same feeling I got when I talked to Renn." She glanced briefly to Renn, as if wondering if it was ok to use her name. She turned back to me "I think…I think you might be my guide too"

"Torak" Renn said quietly "remember back when you were all alone? When you had no-one? Wolf was you're guide. He accepted that, and stuck with you. You wouldn't be here without him. And don't forget that he saved you, too"

I glared at her.

_How could she say that? There was nothing similar about the two times!_

_Or was there…_

_A wolf cub, all alone, that knows nothing._

_A little girl, all alone, that knows nothing._

I sighed. She would probably die without our help. I couldn't leave her to die, and I couldn't leave Renn alone with her, in case the girl did turn out to be a demon.

"Fine" I muttered "I don't care, stay if you like. But I'm not you're guide"

The girl smiled tentatively.

"I am Elysia. Thank you for letting me stay with you." She hesitated "what is the thing on the ground that you killed? And what is that thing you killed it with?"

I glanced at Renn in disbelief. She shrugged.

_I thought she was exaggerating! This girl – Elysia – really does know nothing!_

"The animal I killed is a Roe-Buck. I shot it with an arrow, using my bow" I said slowly, showing her everything as I said its name. I shot Renn a grumpy look "and this had better be worth it"

…**oO0Oo…**

**And there you have it! Chapter 3, finished! Once again, I apologise for the long wait. By the way, in case you are confused, Torak is being so moody because he thinks Elysia is a demon, he's not just really OOC.**

**Kk soooo… THIS time if you Review you will get: **

**A porcupine! Yes, that right! A porcupine! **

**((look, I couldn't find anything better. those time machines were expensive, you know!))**

**Oh, also the song of the day is: **

**Magic, by B.O.B.**

**It's a nice, cheesy, happy song that makes me smile. Try it!**

**Kk, that's all folks!**

**XXX max in training XXX**


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